Apartments set to open in August, manager says

BY Eisa Al Nashmi

The fire that destroyed the construction site of a student apartment complex on Barstow Avenue was only a setback, said Steve Crawford, vice president of management services for American Campus Communities.

The University Village site, which was only a frame of the three-story complex, burned to the ground in May and is being investigated as arson.

“ Unfortunately, unexpected things do happen,” Crawford said. “You have to deal with them and move forward.”

And moving forward is the mindset of members of American Campus, the company based in Austin, Texas that is building University Village.

American Campus regrouped and started construction last September, Crawford said. Their main goal is to have the facility ready for students to live in by the Friday before school starts next fall.

“ We will open this August instead of last August,” he said.

When it opens, the complex will sport more than 100 two- and four-bedroom, fully furnished apartments. There will be 406 units available and rates will be based on individual liability lease and are per bedroom, per person.

Because of the fire, the construction workers had to dig up everything and flatten the land out. Having done it once, Crawford said they are doing a good job and have even improved.

“ It’s going very well in terms of construction and schedule,” he said.

Crawford said the design and foundation of University Village is very similar to the previous one, but the only difference is the sequence of building.

The facility is made of eight separate foundations. The first time, construction started from east to west around the perimeter. This time it started from the front working to the back.

Crawford said starting from the front is more organized and makes it is easier to move around.

Starting from the front also means the front part will be ready before the construction ends.

“ One of our main objectives is that we’d love to make people tour our facility in the summer,” Crawford said. “The front area would be spectacular and ready for people to see.”

Fresno has many housing choices, Crawford said, but University Village sets a new bar for the quality of apartments.

“ There is no such level of quality for students to chose from,” he said.

“ Students need privacy,” Crawford said. So each room has its own bathroom and an Internet connection.

University Village will have amenities such as a computer center, a fitness center, a game room for pool and ping-pong, a swimming pool and a mini theater.

“ The complex has an on-campus feel that we love to have,” Crawford said. “Students would feel very much as if they were part of a community.”

University Village is now accepting applications for fall 2004. For more information call (559) 431-5881.